Panel assembly and a method of installing same

Abstract

A panel assembly for use in construction of flooring, walls or ceiling has two panels (1, 2) each having a planar surface (3, 4) on one side and one its opposite side (5, 6) a plurality of bosses (7, 8) projecting from the panel. The panels (1, 2) are interconnected by abuttment of the bosses (7) of one panel (1) with the bosses (8) of the other panel (2) and a locking member (12, 18) is associated with some of the abutting bosses to thereby prevent lateral movement of panel (1) relative to the other panel (2). The locking members (18) may be tubular and/or comprise locking pins (12) arranged to pass through bores in some abutting bosses. When used as a flooring the panel assembly is installed on a concrete base (26) having a substantially flat surface and bedded on an adhesive compound (25). A number of panel assemblies will be required to construct the flooring wall or ceiling, but once constructed a number of individual panels may be removed to readily allow the installation of mains services.

I claim: 
     
       1. A panel assembly for a floor, wall or ceiling comprising two identical spaced panels being arranged to overlie one another; a plurality of support members extending outwardly from one side of each panel; a flat planar surface on the obverse side of each panel to that side of each panel having the support members projecting therefrom, the distal ends of the support members of one panel being in abutting relationship with the distal ends of the respective support members of the other panel; two of said abutting pairs of support members having a bore through each support member, which bores are alignable coaxially; and releaseable locking means located in said bores to prevent lateral movement of said one panel relative to the other panel and to prevent movement of the panels in a direction transverse to the plane of the panels, wherein said locking means includes a plurality of locking pins each one of which is mountable in the bore extending through each support member of each selected pair of abutting support members. 
     
     
       2. A panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support members of each panel are arranged on a regular matrix. 
     
     
       3. A panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein each support member is a boss and the releasable locking means include a plurality of locking pins each one of which is mountable in the bore extending through each boss of each said to pairs of abutting bosses, each locking pin comprising a shank having a screw head at one end and a cross-pin at the opposite end therefrom, and each bore is shaped for allowing passage of the cross-pin therethrough. 
     
     
       4. A panel assembly according to claim 1, including further locking means comprising a plurality of tubular elements each one of which receives one pair of abutting support members. 
     
     
       5. A panel assembly according to claim 4, wherein the further locking means engage abutting pairs of support members located at each corner of the panels. 
     
     
       6. A panel assembly according to claim 5, including ribs located on the side of each panel having the support members thereon for strengthening the panel with the ribs interlinking the support members. 
     
     
       7. A panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein each panel is rectangular. 
     
     
       8. A panel assembly according to claim 1, including a seal around the outer peripheral edge of each panel the seal comprising a peripheral flange extending transversely to the plane of the panel in the same direction as the bosses with the flange having outward inclination of 1°. 
     
     
       9. A method of installing a panel assembly which includes a panel assembly for a floor, wall or ceiling comprising two identical spaced panels being arranged to overlie one another; a plurality of support members extending outwardly from one side of each panel; a flat planar surface on the obverse side of each panel to that side of each panel having the support members projecting therefrom, the distal ends of the support members of one panel being in abutting relationship with the distal ends of the respective support members of the other panel; two of said abutting pairs of support members having a bore through each support member, which bores are alignable coaxially; and releasable locking means located in said bores to prevent lateral movement of said one panel relative to the other panel and to prevent movement of the panels in a direction transverse to the plane of the panels, wherein said locking means includes a plurality of locking pins each one of which is mountable in the bore extending through each support member of each selected pair of abutting support member, the method including laying a single layer concrete base with a substantially level surface, laying an adhesive bedding compound over the concrete base and mounting the panel assembly on the bedding compound.